


Torn

by Zoe_Dameron



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: DarkPilot, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kidnapping, M/M, Mind Games, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Poe Dameron hurts so pretty, Rape/Non-con Elements, Revenge, Sadism, Torture, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2017-02-27
Packaged: 2018-08-11 05:44:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7878763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zoe_Dameron/pseuds/Zoe_Dameron
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From the TFA prompt:</p><p>Poe gets captured (again? or AU where he never escaped the first time?) and, to Kylo Ren's extreme displeasure, is given not to Kylo but to Hux as a pleasure slave.</p><p>Hux and Kylo have some UST going on but are too into their rivalry for either of them to admit it.</p><p>And Kylo, of course, both hates and desires Poe.</p><p>Hux meanwhile doesn't necessarily care about Poe specifically but is a natural sadist and is having a field day with this. It's certainly amusing to hurt and humiliate Poe, but it's exponentially more satisfying to by proxy taunt and tease Kylo, to show off the new pet, or offhand mention what a pity (ha) it is to have to punish him again, or dangle the prospect of letting Kylo watch... maybe. If he behaves himself.</p><p>Possibly Hux manipulates Kylo into an actual threesome, but it's not necessary to the prompt. I'm pretty open to whatever you want to do with this setup though please do note that I am here for evil plot-what-plot powerplay trash party, not interested in hurt/comfort or rescue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I can't help myself. Hux is a shitlord. Kylo is conflicted. Poe is great.
> 
> Check the prompt. Mind the tags. <3

The soft buzz of fluorescent lights held those already strung-out on edge, jittery and exhausted hands seeking calm via half-full cups of reheated caf. What remained of the formerly resolute First Order leadership – a fraction of those who had been stationed on Starkiller – was spread thin around the conference table. The meeting room was small, outdated, and ill-suited to their present needs; it was no wonder the Kalee base had been abandoned long ago. Word had yet to come down from Supreme Leader on what actions to take next, so the current plan was to regroup and wait.

And to keep waiting.

It had been a month without direction. Most had spent the time anxious and idle. General Hux wasn’t most. The maniac oozed coolness and composure, and he seemed to be the only member of leadership who still cared about the old standards of dress and protocol. Considering the accommodations, many speculated he woke up several hours before everyone else for priority time in the ‘fresher.

General Fennict was making a presentation, something about remaining rations or active personnel or some other nonsense Hux didn’t care about, when Kylo Ren entered the room, his first appearance since the destruction and evacuation of Starkiller.

“Nice of you to finally join us, Ren,” Hux quipped up at him, relishing in the way Kylo’s arms stiffened in anger as he made his way to a seat in the back of the room. Apparently he had yet to find a replacement helmet. His gait included a slight limp now, and it made Hux smile.

Blame for the fate Starkiller had fallen evenly among the officers stationed there, but Hux held firm in his belief that Ren’s actions were solely to blame. Ren had let his emotions cloud his judgment every step of the way, and Hux hated him for it. Ren had been too soft on the pilot, too soft on the girl. There was a personal investment in both of them, hooked down just under the surface, one Hux had only noticed when it was too late. Ren had sensed his father’s presence on Starkiller and, though he had wisely put down the filthy Rebel, Solo’s death had only come _after_ he was somehow successful in planting explosives up and down the frame of the base’s heart.

Hux felt that Ren didn’t understand the gravity at how deeply he had failed the First Order. How his emotions had nearly cost them everything.

So Hux had been making preparations for Ren’s return. He would show him how dangerous and damaging sentimentality could be.

After nearly an hour of mindless drivel from those with nothing useful to say, all eyes turned to Hux for his status report. He stood confidently, shoulders back and brow firm, choosing to open with a smattering of correspondence from other First Order groups.

His stance shifted as he squared himself up, drawing the blade with the latest intel on the Resistance’s actions, starting with light, surface-level happenings and sightings. Ren squirmed in his seat as he tried to hide his interest in the subject matter, though Hux could see through him like transparisteel.

He worked the knight open for the attack, giving just enough detail about squadrons and rumblings about Jedi to pique his curiosity and keep him frustrated with the lack of specifics. When he sensed he finally had him bared and rapt at attention, Hux lunged for the jugular, out for blood.

“Oh, I almost forgot to mention,” he began, straining with the effort of trying to hide his obvious pleasure, “someone finally came through on the bounty for the Resistance pilot who escaped with the traitorous Stormtrooper. They’re en route and should arrive within the day.” Hux could see Ren’s hands balled into fists, his knuckles white. He knew the knight had questions and he wanted to make his answers seem like a victory for him, even though they were clearly an excuse to tantalize Ren with something alluring but just out of his reach.

“Why wasn’t I informed of this?” he asked, trying and failing to not sound invested.

“Informed of what, Ren?” This was almost too easy.

Kylo felt flushed with embarrassment, the scar painted across his face throbbing with heat. “Of an active bounty and the successful acquisition of a prisoner you know I have a vested interest in.”

“Careful Ren,” Hux replied. “I don’t recall reporting to you.” His stony, cold expression masked a near child-like amusement at Ren’s reaction. This was going exactly as he’d hoped.

The knight grit his teeth in obvious frustration. “Where will he be held?”

“That’s none of your concern. He will be interrogated and dealt with by me, personally. Wouldn’t want a repeat of his antics on Finalizer. Now, gentlemen,” he continued, turning to address the rest of the room, “as I was saying –“

“Bantha shit!” Ren shouted, slamming his fist onto the thick wooden table. He drew up a finger and pointed directly back at Hux, resentment and rage shooting through him like lightning. “I had a personal relationship with the pilot. I should be the one to manage him.”

Hux bared his teeth at the knight, his self-satisfaction stretching from ear to ear. “This was a personal bounty, Ren. I used my own credits to pay for it. I’m sorry you didn’t think to spend the credits necessary to have others accomplish your goals for you, as I did. Perhaps be a little more proactive next time. Might help you save face.” His last words were punctuated with a not-so-subtle glance directly at Kylo’s freshly scarred face.

He was gloating now, and he knew everyone in the room could tell. It didn't bother him.

The other First Order leaders remained quiet; they’d seen how these little tiffs between General Hux and Lord Ren play out, and no one was particularly interested in losing an arm, lest the lightsaber makes an appearance.

The two men locked glares for what, to everyone else in the room, felt like an eternity, before Ren finally stood and stormed out of the room in a huff.

Hux returned to his seat to allow the next General to talk, the tension in the room eventually drifting away like a vented toxic gas. His eyes wandered down to his datapad, noticing and opening a recent message from the bounty hunter.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they’d be arriving within the next three hours.

This was it. It was finally happening.

He could barely contain his excitement as he hummed to himself through the rest of the meeting, legs bouncing in anticipation. Once the meeting concluded he made a b-line towards his quarters.

He had preparations to make for his new guest.


	2. Chapter 2

The bounty hunter’s ship touched down in the refuge base hangar surprisingly gently, the rusted hull of the older model standing out against the smooth, clean lines of the First Order. Both Hux and Kylo were present for the exchange, with Kylo maintaining his distance behind the General.

The knight was nearly vibrating with anticipation when the hull door finally opened and a pair of rough looking men walked down the ramp. One was wearing what looked like a crude, homemade eyepatch, and they both seemed unfamiliar with the concept of sonic showers.

Regardless of their haggard appearance, General Hux reached out a hand in welcome, grinning from ear to ear with excitement.

“I trust the acquisition went smoothly? And that you came with the item requested?”

The one-eyed bounty hunter waited silently next to the one locking hands with the General, his fingers hovering cautiously near his blaster.

“Mmm, yep. Pain in the ass, that one. You got the money?”

Hux nodded, handing the pair a datapad showing a large amount of credits having been transferred to their account.

“It’s all there, in the amount we agreed upon. Now, if I may,” Hux continued, crossing his arms behind his back, “I’d like to see what I’ve purchased.”

Eyepatch looked Hux over cautiously before slowly sauntering back to the ship, hand still resting on his blaster. He reappeared a few minutes later, brusquely shoving forward a very bruised and bound Poe Dameron. The pilot’s hands were tied behind his back, his ankles shackled, and the long black cloth tied around his mouth did what it could to hide some of the blood dripping down his face.

Poe, for his part, was doing his best to play up his defiance, despite his appearance. The bravado was only momentarily muted once he noticed Kylo Ren waiting for him at the bottom of the ship’s ramp, his eyes narrowing in anger.

Hux strode forward to meet them, pulling Poe’s attention back to where it was deserved. Eyepatch held the captive tightly by the back of the neck until a squad of Stormtroopers arrived to relieve him.

“He’s a bit damaged,” Hux replied, drawing a finger across the pilot’s temple and examining the smear of blood he’d pulled off, wiping it on his captive’s jacket.

The vocal bounty hunter shrugged his shoulders, indifferent. “Told you he was a pain in the ass. We done here?”

Hux smiled. “Indeed. Thank you again, gentlemen, for your assistance with this matter.” A gesture of his hand was all the Stormtroopers holding Poe needed, dragging the pilot with them deep into the base, his muffled protests growing fainter.

Hux briefly watched the struggle before turning to Kylo Ren. The two stood in silence in front of each other until Kylo could no longer bear the mystery of it all.

“Where are you taking him?” he growled, doing nothing to hide his interest and impatience.

The General chuckled softly to himself. “I hate to run, but I have pressing matters to attend to. Do excuse me.” He waved a dismissive hand to the rest of Kylo’s questions as he followed in direction of his prisoner, growing more pleased with himself by the second.

Kylo remained in the hangar for only a moment longer before retreating to his mediation chambers, his lightsaber carving out a furious path of destruction along with him.

\---

To his credit, Poe fought valiantly for as long as he could against what was happening to him. He’d trained for standard torture, for what would happen if enemy forces captured him and how he could deal with the pain. He’d planned for being held captive, for a repeat of his time aboard the Finalizer.

What he’d never expected, was whatever this First Order General clearly had prepared in his honor.

The Stormtroopers had muscled him into an industrial ‘fresher, cleaning but not treating his many well-earned wounds and relieving him of his shirt and jacket. After he had been washed he was brought to what appeared to be an office, where he was tethered to a wall between two bookshelves, attached with restraint cuffs around his wrists, ankles, and neck. Amidst his protests he noted the low-tech feel of it all; physical chains instead of energy binders or inhibition fields.

And there he was left, alone, worn down, confused, angry, and in pain, until the General arrived.

Through the fog of his current situation, Poe vaguely felt like he recognized the man; that he had seen him briefly aboard the Finalizer when he was interrogated by Kylo Ren. He pulled at his restraints, drawing a soft smile from the General.

Hux stared at him in silence from across the room for what felt like an eternity, his eyes dragging up and back down the length of his captive. There was something vacant in his expression, a disconnect Poe couldn’t quite get a read on. The pilot couldn’t help but flinch the moment Hux advanced, coming to stand within inches of where Poe was chained standing up against the wall.

“Let me go,” he snarled, doing his best to mask the overwhelming vulnerability rising within him.

Hux leaned forward at him. “No.”

A gloved hand reached up towards Poe, grabbing his jaw in a surprisingly tight and unyielding grip. Poe whimpered as his head was turned to the side, the restraint around his neck biting into his skin. Fear and revulsion threatened to overwhelm him as Hux dragged his tongue across the side of his face, stopping to bite viciously at the pilot’s ear, drawing blood.

“Wh-what the fuck, man? Get the fuck off of me! What the fuck?!”

Hux pulled back suddenly, as if he had truly committed an error. “Oh I’m sorry, did I not explain? You were part of a transaction, Poe Dameron. I purchased something very valuable. An investment, if you will.” He seemed pleased with himself, which, even separate from Poe’s situation, terrified the pilot.

Poe swallowed hard and once again tested the slack of the chains around his wrists and ankles. “There’s no new intel to get from me, you _piece of bantha shit_. The minute I went missing they likely moved the base. You’ll get _nothing_. You’re wasting your time.”

The General reached for something off of the wall, just outside of Poe’s line of sight before he crowded back in his space, close enough that Poe could feel Hux’s hot breath against his skin. His hand returned to the pilot’s face, gently stroking his cheek in mock tenderness.

“Oh, Commander,” Hux cooed, “I don’t care about what you know. I’m only interested in your body.”

Hux kissed a gentle line across Poe’s collarbone before stepping back and raising his other hand, revealing a clean and chrome hammer with a solid black grip. He tested it against his palm as he watched the pilot wrestle between his bravado and panic, reveling in the fear he could read through his dark brown eyes.

“Let’s get familiar, shall we?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thousand thanks to @beautifullights for helping me word wrangle. <3

Kylo Ren tried to ignore the presence of his childhood friend on the First Order base. He tried to look away every time Hux would show up late to a meeting, his knuckles red and his face flushed, looking as smug as a protocol droid at a ball. He tried to tamp down the persistent hum of distress and agony that would light up the back of his mind at various times during the day.

He constantly struggled to simply _push out of his mind_ the thought of Commander Poe Dameron being locked up somewhere on the First Order base, subject to the maniacal and violent whims of General Armitage Hux.

Not that Kylo Ren _cared_ about the pilot, _Force no_. He was simply a loose end, a relic of both his distant and recent past that had evaded him time and again. The two may have been close once, but that meant nothing now. Less than nothing.

Ren tried to remind himself of this fact every time he passed Hux’s office door, and every time he’d catch a stray choked off scream coming from behind it.

It would help if he didn’t pass by Hux’s office so often, he knew that. He didn’t _need_ to know what was going on with the pilot. He didn’t.

 _He didn’t_.

Regardless, Poe Dameron kept invading his thoughts. He needed it to end. Maybe if he stopped by, just once, he could calm the torment that coursed through him every time his mind caught on a stray emotion or memory.

He took two days to finally decide to confront General Hux, the tipping point hitting him during their latest recon meeting, where Hux had shown up with Black Leader dog tags sticking _ever so slightly_ out of his front pocket. Kylo noticed him fidgeting with them during a break, and it didn’t take the Force to see how much Hux was enjoying himself.

His anger with the General’s complete lack of subtlety about his wholly _undeserved_ prisoner was what finally drove the knight to Hux’s office door. He hovered nervously in the hallway, working over in his mind exactly what he wanted to accomplish. At these times he sincerely regretted leaving his helmet to go down with the rest of Starkiller. He hadn’t been able to properly control his emotional outbursts since then – not that he was ever good at that anyway – and he felt naked and vulnerable even at the best of times.

Still, though. He needed to see the pilot. He needed to know.

He raised his hand to the door and knocked twice.

“…Who is it?”

“Kylo Ren.”

A pause.

Behind the door, a grunt. Something heavy being moved.

Kylo counted his own heartbeats as he waited.

Finally – _finally_ – the door slid open, and he was greeted by the slightly disheveled figure of General Hux, leaning against his elbow in the doorway. His hair was unkempt and hanging shaggy above his ears. His knuckles were once again slightly bloody, and it looked like he had wiped some of the blood off on his untucked plain white shirt. He was out of breath, his smile impossibly wide.

Almost like he _expected_ Ren to knock at his door.  

Ren’s eyes slid off of the General to the man behind him, the one mounted against the wall with tight chains like a crude trophy. He couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped him as he processed who and what he was looking at.

Underneath the blood and the bruising, he could barely make out the wilted form of Poe Dameron. One of his arms hung limply from the cuff around his wrist, fingers bent and broken, and his entire hand and forearm covered in what looked like deep purple wounds from a blunt instrument, matching similar bruising around Poe’s ribs and lower torso.

The captive was still clothed, but barely, his pants unbuckled and open slightly, all but shredded by whatever caused the many, many shallow gashes tracked up and down his legs. He had bled heavily at one point, staining the floor below him.

Kylo watched in horror as the man he assumed was unconscious slowly, and with great effort, raised his head to look at him, his swollen and bruised eyes pleading with Ren from across the room. Poe’s head swayed from the exertion as he licked the tear in his lip, struggling to speak. His face was still wet from crying, his breathing shallow and ragged.

“ _R-Ren… p-pleaaase…_ ” he whispered, wincing from the pain of it, tears welling up in his eyes once more. “ _H-h-help. Help… m-me…_ ”

Hux turned back to look at his prisoner, annoyed. “Excuse me for one moment, Lord Ren,” he sighed, closing the door in Kylo’s face before he even had a chance to protest, too caught off guard by what Hux had done to his pilot.

He leaned up against the door, straining to hear Hux’s actions.

From outside he could make out what sounded like brief, muffled shouting, followed by three sharp cracks and a cry of pain, punctuated with more muffled shouting.

Hux returned to the door with a thick whip in his hand, and Kylo could see long welts marring the pilot’s abdomen. Whether he was unconscious or shamed into submission, Poe’s head lay limp against his chest.

“Pardon the interruption, Ren. Now, was there something you needed my help with?” he asked, feigning indifference.

Kylo felt the rage bubbling up within him, muting the _concern for the pilot_ , allowing it to be overwhelmed by his outrage over Hux’s carelessness.

“Are you out of your mind, General?! Commander Dameron’s life is an important asset for the First Order and you are _killing him_!” he growled, hand flicking to hold the hilt of his lightsaber for comfort.

“No, no,” Hux scoffed, locking eyes with Ren as he casually fiddled with the whip handle, twirling it around lazily. “Of course not. Surely _you_ of all people understand the wonders of bacta, Ren. If something breaks, you fix it with bacta, allowing you to break it again. Over and over, broken things are mended and then re-broken. It’s quite a marvel, really.”

Kylo tamped down on the pity he was feeling for the pilot, not wanting Hux to see his shameful weakness. He still refused to admit to himself that he wanted to do nothing more than to look at Poe in that moment, to envelop him with the Force and drag him away to safety. _To safety_? Away from General Hux, anyway.  

“Lord Ren,” Hux continued with a sigh, not bothering to wait for Kylo to join him in the conversation, “I know what you need. Meet me in room 881m, down the hall from here, tomorrow, at 1700 hours. I have something for you. A gift, of sorts.”

The knight looked at him skeptically. “What do you m–“  

“You’ll see soon enough tomorrow. Now I’d like to ask for you to leave, as you’ve interrupted quite an important meeting.”

Per his style, General Hux didn’t wait for his instructions to be acknowledged before sealing the door in Kylo’s face. Ren stood speechless in the hallway, struggling to connect together the reality of what he had just witnessed. Though he wanted to know what Hux was doing to the pilot, part of him wished he had remained ignorant to it, or at least been invited to participate.

He returned to his room for the evening, mentally shaken from the feelings skimmed off of Poe Dameron. He didn’t know what Hux had in store for him tomorrow, but he didn’t dare hope it was ownership of the pilot. He was lost in thought when Poe’s presence once again awoke in the dark matter of his brain, followed by agony.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay. Been on vacation, which actually helped inspire this chapter! 
> 
> Based on Bear Hole in Chico, California, an episode of Battlestar Galactica, and all the time I spent in the pool last week. <3

There’s a natural swimming hole on Yavin IV, just an hour’s trek through the blueleaf. Even with active Resistance activity up and down the moon, it’s a place held secret by the native Yavinese.

Named after the once-abundant species that used to frequent the area, Howler’s Hole is surrounded by large mossy stone hills, invisible unless you knew it was down there. Tales had been told about the deep hypnotic blues and greens of the water luring young swimmers to their deaths in the darkness, though it never once stopped Poe Dameron from visiting.

In the years before he was allowed to fly on his own he’d spend hours at Howler’s Hole, floating on his back and staring up at the stars. He lived for the feeling of weightlessness, how he’d let his mind wander and imagine himself following every tail left by every comet, imagined visiting every system his eyes could see.

As an adult, Poe would sometimes journey back to Howler’s Hole, though not very often. He’d go when it got bad, when he couldn’t – he –  

_– he couldn’t take it._

_“Please,” he could hear himself say. “Please, no more.”_

_– it was too much that he just –_

So he floated there, flat on his back, staring up at the stars. He’d mapped them all in his head, every constellation.

Laying in the water he didn’t feel anything except at peace. Light.

It was a place where –

_“– sistance trash. Do you understand the trouble you’ve caused me? You will. I’m going to make you feel it all. We have nothing but time and this room. And of course, my tools.”_

_Poe didn’t even see the arc of Hux’s arm, didn’t register the blow until he felt a tingling, stinging sensation in his fingers. Blinking slowly, he turned his head to look at his left hand. He wondered if he’d ever be able to fly again with his fingers bent in different directions. If they made ships for xenos with tentacles and claws then surely –_

_“You stupid pilot,” Hux continued. “You’re not even listening, are you?” He punctuated his annoyance with another blunt hit to his captive’s stomach._

_Poe looked down and watched with heavy eyes as the purple welt blossomed across his stomach, thankful that Hux was choosing, for now, to use the dull side of the hammer._

_Hux was speaking to him again but Poe felt very tired. Too tired. He knew he was supposed to be listening but it couldn’t be helped. He closed his eyes and drifted away._

– he could be one with the stars. Sometimes he swore he could see his mother’s ship up there. He could hear her singing down to him if he listened hard enough. Poe wished they’d had more time together. She was the one that first took him to Howler’s Hole, told him to keep it a secret. And he had kept it a secret, though he knew that if he brought Finn here that she’d understand.

Did Stormtroopers even know how to swim? When Poe got back he’d have to find out.

He lay in that place for a while, as if time didn’t exist. Almost didn’t notice he was –

_Being wheeled somewhere. He was on his back, couldn’t see the rest of himself._

_Did they think he was dead? Poe hoped not, but he didn’t have the strength to call out. Who there would even want to help him? He’d pleaded for sympathy earlier and received none._

_He let his head loll to the side, couldn’t help it really. Poe noticed he was in some kind of medical facility and he wondered if the bacta bath being drawn was for him, though he didn’t hold out hope for that outcome._

_There were hands on him, touching him everywhere. He didn’t want to be touched. Didn’t want to be here. They were attaching things to him, carrying him, lowering him into the liquid._

_Poe caught a glimpse of Hux in the back of the room, watching him with those vicious blue eyes._

_Something about Hux’s smile told him he wasn’t done with him yet._

_He didn’t want to think about it, so he went back._

Howler’s Hole was particularly beautiful tonight. The sky was clear, the water was perfectly warm, and he could hear the soft buzz of the rosewings in the surrounding jungle.

Poe stretched out his fingers and gently splashed them in the water, letting his hands dance over the surface. Yavin Prime was peeking out from the tops of the trees, which Poe thought was strange because it was usually on the other side of the moon at this time of night…

He looked past it. Maybe his memories were failing him. Maybe he just hadn’t been back to the real place in too long.

Poe focused on the stars instead, watched satellites slowly track paths across the sky. One of the satellites passed a particularly angry-looking red star that Poe hadn’t ever seen before. As he tried to focus he noticed more dotting the sky, red aggressively engulfing the calm white he –

No, _please_. Not _here_.

He felt the water begin to cool around him as the sky grew red, the rosewings having gone quiet in the trees. Poe shut his eyes as his safe place crumbled apart.

It took everything he had to reopen his eyes, as if all his strength had been drained.

He was still on his back, staring up at a cluster of red and white ceiling lights.

His body wasn’t responding but he could feel the cold table underneath him, could smell the sterile air of the room. Poe couldn’t tell if he was strapped down or simply immobilized. He didn’t know whether to feel grateful about being out of Hux’s room, or nervous about whatever untold horrors awaited here. He didn’t have to wait long to find out.

He could feel the panic rising in his chest as a door opened behind him, followed by the soft beats of footsteps. Poe almost vomited at the sight of Hux standing over him.

“Feeling better, Commander? Or rather, feeling anything at all?” Hux chuckled to himself, raising a hand up and tenderly drawing his fingers through Poe’s dark curls.

Poe could do little more than meet his gaze as the General continued.

“Your pathetic stunt in front of Ren was cute, Commander. I’d punish you for it, but we just got you stitched back together, so, I’ll let it pass this time. You’ll be pleased to know that he’ll actually be joining us later today, after I’ve had mine. And no more slipping away from our time together! That defeats the purpose entirely. I’ve drugged you for my own protection, so we can enjoy ourselves without having to worry about teeth. Now, if you please.”

Poe tried to scream, tried to scramble away as he heard Hux undo his zipper and grab his head, turning it to the side. All he could do was close his eyes and wait for it to end.


	5. Chapter 5

The door to room 881m was unguarded, much to Ren’s surprise. The last time leadership had left Commander Poe Dameron minimally secured was the moment the entire tide of war shifted against the First Order. Ren doubted that Hux, someone who had spent thousands of his _own_ credits to obtain this prisoner, would risk repeating the same mistake.

He reached for the door control, allowing a full second of hesitation to hold him before pressing the button.

Kylo stood in the doorway and blinked, mouth agape, unsure if his eyes were betraying him.

The pilot was laying on his back on a table in front of him, head turned away from the door, legs bent at the knee and hanging off the end. Placed there. _Arranged_. His wounds had mostly been healed, just as Hux promised. His ripped and bled-through clothes replaced with a fresh pair of black linen pants and a clean white shirt. Poe’s eyes were closed and, were it not for the Force telling Kylo otherwise, he almost looked dead.

He stepped forward towards the table, only extending his arm towards Poe once he heard the door close behind him. With delicate fingers he traced up and down over Poe’s hand, letting curiosity dictate his movements. Ren hadn’t been able to be this close to Poe in many, many years. His hands were smaller when Ben had known him.

Kylo turned his attention towards the rest of the pilot, gently running his fingers through the irresistible curls before pulling Poe’s head towards him. The pilot’s mouth hung slack, his full lips flush from recent use. Kylo smoothed his fingers back and forth over the stitched up and healing gash that marred them, reluctantly pulling his hand away when he remembered how fresh the cut was the last time he had seen him.

He was mildly surprised when Poe slowly dragged open his eyes and desperately tried to focus on him. Kylo could feel something within the Force reaching out for him, stirring a darkness inside that he hadn’t felt since – 

Ren’s thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening behind him. He turned to see General Hux standing proudly in the doorway, his slender figure looming imposingly through the dim light of the room.

“My goodness, Ren, aren’t you the early bird,” Hux laughed to himself, removing his gloves and placing them in his great jacket pocket.

“Explain this, General. What have you done to him?” Ren seethed.

Hux was touring the room, cracking each knuckle with calm, measured movements. “He’s sedated, in a way. I’ve administered a temporary paralyzing agent. I promised you a gift, and here he is. Are you not interested? Ungrateful?”

“Are you _giving_ _me_ the prisoner?” Kylo asked hopefully, despite himself.

The General walked towards where Poe was laying prone, placing both of his hands flat on Poe’s stomach as he leaned forward at Ren.

“Well, it depends on your response. I’m here to propose a sort of truce – the opportunity to overcome your emotional attachment to the pilot by… _participating_. Then, depending on its effectiveness, we can reevaluate from there, including the opportunity to take ownership of _this_ ,” Hux replied, clenching his fists in Poe’s shirt.

Kylo narrowed his brow at the General, as unamused as he was confused. “Emotional… _attachment_?”

“Yes,” Hux replied with a sick grin, “You care for this pilot, obviously intimately. And I’ll allow you to have him back, on one condition. In exchange for the pilot, I want you to apologize.”

Kylo balked. “Apologize? For what do you feel you’re owed an apology?”

“Do you not understand why we’re here, Ren?” Hux asked, his grin melting away. “We’re stuck in this outdated place on a dead planet because you allowed your emotions to get the better of you. If you had any sense at all in that Force-filled skull of yours you’d surrender or destroy every remaining connection to your Resistance past so we can carry on with our work. And since your past appears to run _quite directly_ through _this_ man,” he shouted, bringing a fist down hard onto Poe’s chest, drawing a choked-off gasp out of him as he closed his eyes, “I, well… I’ve taken the appropriate steps to help you move on from it. And your first step starts with apologizing for allowing your personal feelings to interfere with what little has been asked of you.”

Kylo reached to grip his saber, his fingers twitching with the desire to just cut Hux down and be done with it. Snoke would probably understand, right? He might even show Kylo mercy, as Hux had gotten quite bold recently.

“Is that all, General? Are you quite done attempting to dictate my actions? Because what you see as an ‘emotional investment’ is nothing more than a difference of opinion on how to treat an enemy of the First Order.”

“Oh my,” Hux chuckled, arrogantly. “Is that what you truly believe?”

Kylo glared back at him in response, the thick air of the Force radiating off of him like the heat of a lightsaber.

“Very well, Ren,” Hux replied, moving to the space at the end of the table between Poe’s legs. “You know where to find me if you change your mind about my offer. In the meantime, I’m going to continue wringing what pleasure I can out of this very expensive investment. And know that it will get worse for him the longer you wait.”

Kylo looked on in angry, muted distress as Hux gently pulled Poe’s pants down his legs and off his ankles, discarding them to a corner of the room. With one hand on the inside of Poe’s thigh, Hux made an exaggerated show of lifting two fingers towards Ren before working his way into the pilot with a slick squish.

“Ah, he feels so wonderful,” Hux cooed, locking eyes with Ren. “Still wide open and ready for me. FN-2187’s remaining squad mates were in here earlier and it seems they were able to take out some of their anger about the traitor onto our dear pilot.”

Ren grimaced at the sounds of Hux’s assault, turning away to look down at the man laid out in front of him. Poe’s eyes were open again, silently pleading to Kylo as he struggled to speak. Kylo watched him like that for a while, holding a hand on Poe’s chest as Hux moaned and grunted and fucked in to him at the end of the table.

As a child, Ben had always admired Poe’s perfectly curled hair, but seeing him like this, the way his curls bounced each time Hux violently thrust forward…

It was too much for the Knight to take. The pilot was an enemy of the First Order, absolutely, but the softer bits inside Kylo wondered if even their greatest enemies deserved this kind of horrific treatment.

Hux shouted something to Ren on his way out the door, though his head was far too clouded to hear correctly. Kylo needed to remove himself from the entire situation, to find somewhere to breathe. The base was still relatively new to him, but he found a back door leading to a small, empty hangar. Utilizing the Force to lock it tightly behind him, Kylo found a corner and counted his breaths.

He tried to focus on the First Order, on the calming essence of the Dark Side, on _anything_ besides Hux forcing himself into Dameron, or the way Poe’s agony twisted in his gut.

Kylo felt helpless as his body slid down the wall, falling onto the ground, emotionally defeated. He could sense a tear forming inside himself, a war between his pride and his control over his volatile emotions.

He spent the next few hours in meditation, weighing his options and concluding that he’d have to avoid both of them until he could speak with Snoke.

Kylo took the long way back to his room that night.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my sweet baby berries, I'm sooo sorry for how long this chapter has taken. I genuinely appreciate anyone who has stuck with me! You're all wonderful! <3
> 
> ETA: It's 12/5 and I'm struggling with the latest chapter. Please know that I haven't abandoned this, I'm just not able to find time to write. Will update as soon as I can. Love you all.

Poe held his breath, hoping to draw as little attention to himself as possible. Hux had woken him up as he had every morning – violently – before moving to the damned display case of knives next to his desk. He’d watched Hux grab a particularly nasty one and move to sit on the couch.

…Where he’d been for the past hour, twirling the knife in his hands and staring off into the distance at nothing.

It unsettled Poe, to say the least.

He didn’t necessarily _want_ the torture, obviously, but it was something real and routine and expected he could hold on to. It was the uncertainty that scared him more than anything.

So, he held himself still and tried to make himself small without rattling his chains too much. Maybe if the General spent enough time lost in thought he’d be called away before he could hurt Poe that day.

Poe couldn’t help flinching when Hux shifted in his seat, turning to look at him with fresh anger in his eyes. 

“ _I feel_ ,” Hux seethed, his teeth catching on his bottom lip as he chewed through each word, “like your acquisition was made under false pretenses, pilot.”

There was no need for Poe to respond; his small expression of confusion was obvious.

Hux continued. “You see, when I created the bounty for you, I was under the impression that you had value. Specifically, to a certain member of First Order leadership. Well, it’s been quite some time since I’ve seen any hint of interest from this member of First Order leadership. This makes me very, very cross, pilot. I don’t like people wasting my time or my credits. It appears you’ve wasted both.”

Against his better judgment, Poe couldn’t help but cough out a laugh and with it, the first words he’d spoken in days. “Hey buddy, I never asked for this. _You_ came after _me_. And I have no idea what you’re kriffing talking about.” He was proud of himself for not sounding as broken as he truly was.

Hux narrowed his gaze at him and held the blade still in his lap.

“Ben Solo. Tell me about your relationship with him.”

If he hadn’t been chained tightly, that name could’ve toppled Poe over. He hadn’t heard it in years, and for good reason. Poe held silent as he inched back against the wall.

“So there was something between you two, wasn’t there. I see.” Hux’s expression remained guarded and neutral, though from across the room Poe could still tell Hux’s knuckles were turning white as they gripped the knife handle.

Swallowing hard, he dared to speak again. “Get fucked.”

In a flurry Hux was on his feet and standing too close to Poe, his chest nearly bumping against his prisoner’s. Poe couldn’t see the blade but he felt it grazing up and down the length of his forearm.

“You know I could just make you tell me,” Hux growled. Poe could feel the knife pressing harder against his skin, nearly breaking it.

Poe laughed in his face again, regardless of the consequences. “And when has that ever worked? With all due respect, General, you’re a sadist but you’re a shit interrogator. The only time the First Order has ever gotten anything from me was when your cheap, Jedi drop-out pulled it straight out of my brain. Looks like you two aren’t on the best of terms, so I’m not exactly worried.” He could see the line he’d crossed miles behind him, and he steeled himself for the blow he knew was coming.

Instead, Hux pulled away, setting his blade on his desk and turning back to address the pilot. His smile was gone, but so was his anger.

“Let’s make a deal, then. You have information I want,” he explained, crossing his arms in front of him. “What are your terms?”

Poe scoffed. “Let me go.”

“No chance, but I respect you starting high. I don’t blame you for that. I can give you an hour alone, and I’ll go easier when I return.”

“You want to know something deeply personal and you’re offering an hour break in return? I say again: get fucked.”

The General chuckled at the pilot, stepping closer and placing a hand on the wall near the side of Poe’s head. “A day of rest. And longer in the bacta tank after our next session.”

“How about no more ‘sessions’, ever.”

“No.”

“A week free, then.”

“No.”

“Five days.”

“Three.”

“Four days.”

“ _Three_.”

Poe sighed. “Three days of rest, better bacta, and the chance to move around on my own, _today_. I can’t even remember the last time I was able to –“

“You’ve been here with me for 39 days, pilot,” Hux volunteered, a smile pulling at the edges of his lips. “It appears we have our terms. Do you accept?”

Hux waited for Poe to nod in approval before calling a familiar service droid to have Poe released from his chains. The pilot nearly fell under his own weight as he was let go, steadying himself against the wall as he struggled to gather his bearings. He glanced down at his forearm and was genuinely surprised to see the blade hadn’t left any real damage.

“I suppose a shirt is out of the question?” he asked, trying to catch his breath.

“Should have included that in our deal, Dameron,” Hux replied, clucking his tongue on his way back to his seat on the couch. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like the information I requested. Sit.”

Poe hesitated briefly before realizing he’d rather not screw up the opportunity he’d found himself with; he’d have a much easier time formulating an escape while _not_ chained to a wall. Begrudgingly, he limped over to the couch across from Hux, plopping his body down onto the leather with very little grace.

Hux leaned back in comfort, a sight different from the half-naked pilot huddled in on himself across from him.

“Now, tell me your relationship with Lord Ren. Spare no details.”

Poe took a deep breath and tried to maneuver into a position that didn’t make his unhealed wounds ache. Finding no such position, he settled for wrapping a hand over his sore ribs as he allowed himself to slouch against the cushions. The couch had never looked comfortable from his position against the wall, but in that moment, it felt like a bed of clouds.

“What do you want from him? You could just ask him to suck your dick if you’re so in love with him. He might do it.”

“Watch yourself, Dameron,” Hux snarled. “Tell me your relationship with Lord Ren.”

“We were friends, me and Ben. Back when he, you know, was ‘Ben’. Our moms were close so we ended up spending a lot of time together.”

Hux leaned forward with interest, resting his elbows on his knees as he locked eyes with this prisoner. “And? When did you become lovers?”

“What?! _Lovers_?” Poe asked, hissing as he accidentally jostled himself into a painful spot. “We weren’t ever ‘lovers’, where did you hear that?”

“I have watched your interrogation tape dozens of times, pilot. He treats you differently. There’s a familiarity and intimacy that I’ve never seen demonstrated with other prisoners.”

“Well, yeah, obviously. We were friends. I’ve known him since I was 2 years old.”

Hux leaned back, face scrunched in disbelief. “No, it’s more than that. You’re telling me that you never had feelings for each other?”

Poe shook his head. “No, I’ve never had feelings for Ben. We never shared feelings for each other.”

“Ahhh, so that’s it!” the General said, beaming. “You were never an item but it doesn’t mean _he_ wasn’t in love with _you_.”

“You’re insane, do you know that?”

Hux continued, ignoring him. “But if he’s so in love with you, why hasn’t he come to bargain for your life? I offered you up for a very reasonable price. What is it about you that he is so drawn to?”

The pilot laughed again, instantly regretting the pain that shot through his chest. “Man, I don’t know. You underestimate how stubborn Ben can be. I’d only assume he’s even more stubborn now. Either that, or maybe you’re so repulsive that even I’m not worth it to him.”

“Such a nasty tongue of yours. I’m surprised you’ve kept it this long.” Hux leaned back and locked his hands together in front of him, gesturing with his eyes to something behind the pilot.

Poe never saw the needle that entered the soft space between his shoulder blades, but he could feel the familiar debilitating serum coursing down his spine. He whirled around in a panic, slapping the syringe away from the service droid before losing all control in his arms and legs. Poe fell to the ground, struggling on numbing limbs to crawl towards the door.

Poe could feel the thick serum climbing up his throat as he tried to speak before it overtook him. “Y-y-you s-said we h-had a d-d-deal…”

“And you put your trust in the man who paid half a million credits to have you dragged here to be tortured. Not very wise, pilot,” Hux gloated, helping Poe to the floor with a boot on his back. “You lot are so gullible, but I do appreciate the insight around our dear Lord Ren. You’ve been moderately helpful but I’m afraid there will be no break for you today. You’re due with a very eager General in a few hours and we need to get you ready.”

Hux lifted his foot off of Poe’s back, gesturing to the service droid to haul Poe against the wall while they awaited the Stormtroopers to gather him up.

As his eyes rolled back in his head he heard a knock at the door, catching a glimpse of a large black form in the doorway before he passed out completely.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. I'm the worst. <3

Poe groaned. Even with his eyes closed he could tell he was laying on the cold floor of some kind of cell. He hadn’t laid down on his own because for one, he didn’t remember it, and two, he likely wouldn’t have positioned his arm awkwardly and painfully underneath his body. _So, brought here then_ , he thought to himself, shaking the needles out of his arm as he moved to sit up, surprised to not feel restrained in any way.

“Good morning, Dameron.”

He recognized the voice. Cursing to himself for even humoring the idea of being away from this nightmare, Poe opened his eyes.

General Hux, he anticipated. Kylo Ren, he didn’t.

They had taken seats next to each other near the door of the cell and Poe grimaced to think of them watching him sleep. It was a small comfort that he was clothed. He crawled back to the far wall of the cell, putting as much distance in between himself and them as he could. The very sight of the General elicited a mix of fear and revulsion deep in his gut. He spat at the floor in disgust. 

“That’s quite unwelcoming behavior when you have guests, Dameron,” Hux cooed, seemingly pleased with himself. Poe didn’t bother replying; that wasn’t the way these interactions went, especially considering the last time he tried mouthing off.

Hux smiled. “I know I promised you to General Fennict, but I was caught off guard by Lord Ren here, paying us a visit. You’ll be happy to know that it seems he’s finally come ‘round to our way of thinking, and you’ll be out of my hands soon.”

Poe glanced over at Kylo Ren. He was sitting with his legs crossed and hands folded, seemingly impassive to the entire situation.

The room hung silent for a moment before Hux continued, stepping forward towards Poe like one would approach an old friend.

“Are you not pleased, Dameron?” he asked with a laugh, arms outstretched. “Your childhood friend has finally come around to claim ownership of you in exchange for an apology. Only days before your scheduled execution! Such luck!”

Poe rose to his feet to lean against the wall behind him, flinching away as Hux clapped him on the shoulder.

“I know you’ll miss me, but we’ll be moving to a more permanent base soon and I’ve grown bored with you,” Hux continued. “There are only so many ways to hurt someone. While I feel like we’ve gotten so very close these past few months, it does become routine. Fortunately, your Knight has come to relieve me of you, as intended. His apology was beautiful. I wish you could’ve heard it.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Poe could see Ren’s hands tightening in his lap. He didn’t see Hux’s hands move to grab him until he felt the pressure of fingers working to remove his pants, a sensation he had come to know very well during his captivity.

_Not again not again not again_

In a panic, Poe lunged forward with a shout, reaching his arms up to push the General away, sending him staggering backwards. He barely had time to move towards the room’s exit before the familiar tendrils of the Force wormed their way into his mind and down through his veins, wrapping around his muscles and filling his bones.

“ _Be still_ ,” came the command, a horrible reminder of the first time Poe had been imprisoned by the First Order.

Poe stood, hands to his side, knees locked, eyes forward, mouth closed. He could do nothing to fight it. Couldn’t recoil from the blows that landed on the side of his jaw and head, couldn’t raise his fists to retaliate or shield himself.

Once Hux had satisfied himself by taking out his aggression onto Poe’s face, he again reached for the pilot’s pants, pulling them down to his ankles in one rough movement. Through gritted teeth, Poe let out a whimper. The Force held him too firmly, its grip almost unbearable; his bones felt as though they were going to crack under the pressure. He looked towards Ren, pleading with his eyes for release. The Knight stared back, expressionless.

“Defiant until the end,” Hux sneered, stepping back to observe the humiliating position he’d left Poe standing in. “Get on the floor. I’m going to take you once more, while you’re still mine.”

Hands he couldn’t control bent down to pull his pants back up, and legs he couldn’t control pulled him forward to the middle of the room. He was a passenger in a body that dropped to its knees in front of General Hux, head bowing on its own before him. The small moans of pain that managed to escape through gritted teeth only seemed to encourage the man standing over him.

Poe’s body spasmed and shook through the pain of the Force commands holding him beaten and penitent when all he wanted to do was scream, escape, and fly away home. He felt a hand rest gently on his shoulder, the first kind touch in months. Ren had come to stand beside Poe, and the hand was his. Poe blinked. This didn’t make sense.

Through the thundering in his ears, Poe thought he could make out a conversation between Ren and Hux, the words muffled like they were underwater.  

As he squirmed he felt the hand on his shoulder tighten slightly before a series of recent memories flooded through him.

– _his left leg broken, the bone scratching against itself with every step. There’s a room, all he can see are eyes, eyes pouring over him, greedy and hungry. He pulls at the collar around his neck, tries to resist as he’s dragged on towards hands and mouths, always taking what they want_ –

_– “this is for 2187,” he hears, finally understanding why they’re so aggressive with him. There are too many of them, and each hurts more than the last. He just wants it to stop, needs it to stop. He doesn’t even know these people. Finn made his own decision to leave. He wants to scream this at them, plead for mercy. ‘They’d understand if I could just tell them,’ he thinks as another forces their way in –_

_– staring down at him, hands always taking too many liberties. Open again on the table, splayed out and vulnerable, trying to look away, away as the man reaches forward and he feels the cold pull of the blade on chest –_

Poe gasped as the hand on his shoulder recoiled, as if burned. He felt the crushing compulsion of the Force abate only slightly as he was brought to his feet, following the scene as an observer as his legs moved him forward to follow the Knight out of the room.

With no knowledge of where they were going or what Ren had in store for him or what had just happened in the cell behind them, Poe was left only with the comforting thought that Hux didn’t appear to be a part of it. A “transfer of ownership,” he’d called it, the implications sending chills down Poe’s spine.

He didn’t belong to anyone. _Not kriffing anyone_.

He’d fight whatever Ren had planned for him. He’d fight it even if it meant his life. He’d never give in.

The pilot was so lost in thought that he didn’t even register that they had stopped in front of a door. He watched as the Knight pressed his hand to the panel on the side, opening them up to what looked like personal quarters. _Ren’s_ _personal quarters_ , he thought as he was pulled forward, choking on the fear of it as he felt the door close behind him.

Dread had only started settling in his chest when the grip of the Force fell away, draining out of him like a tide. He coughed, catching his breath as he held a hand over his heart, as if that could possibly protect him.

“Sit,” came the deep, commanding voice behind him. There was no Force accompanying it, which shocked Poe. He turned, cautiously, to face the man who now held his life in his hands, looking up at the Knight with pride and fear in his eyes.

“Sit. Please.”


	8. Chapter 8

Poe did as he was instructed, limping to the nearest corner of the room while keeping an eye on Kylo Ren as he slowly sank to the floor, back up against the wall. The compact quarters left little space between Poe and the Knight, and there was nowhere he could go to get away from whatever Ren had planned. Resignedly, he stared up at Kylo and waited for the inevitable. He’d fight back against whatever came his way, but he knew how weak and broken he was. It’d be an exercise in futility. He just wanted to go home.

The pilot reached a cautious hand up to wipe away the blood still dripping out of his nose as he watched Kylo Ren pace back and forth in front of the bed that divided them. Occasionally his hand would flick down to his lightsaber, gripping it around the hilt before balling his hands back into fists. The sight of him without the oppressive black mask conveyed a sense of vulnerability that Poe struggled to not fall for; this monster looked like Ben, and Ben had been his friend once, but this wasn’t Ben.

After what seemed like hours, Kylo Ren finally spoke.

“What was he thinking?!” he shouted, eyes wild and hands grasping at his sides. “What did he expect to come of this?! That we’d just – what?! Play this game until we’re old men? Until we’re old and weak and still fighting these same battles? Just, _‘honey, I’m home_ ’ every kriffing night?”

Poe flinched away as Ren’s rage grew, trying desperately to go unnoticed as the Knight stormed through the room.

“We are above this! This – this… treatment! How could he be so… _rraaaaugh_!”

His rage grew, bubbling out of him like volcanoes of Mustafar. Poe closed his eyes when Ren activated the lightsaber, drawing it out and swinging it recklessly around the room. He could feel the heat of the blade from where he was huddled up against the wall.

 _This is it,_ he thought to himself. _At least it’s finally over_.

Poe took a deep breath, making peace with the certainty of it, when he heard the door close. Then, silence. Cautiously, he opened his eyes. The room was empty and silent, save for the deep, scorched gashes in the walls that still sizzled from the lightsaber.

He stood slowly as he gripped the bridge of his nose to stem the flow of blood that softly leaked out of it. Gathering his bearings, he strode to the door and tested it.

Locked, of course.

Poe looked around the room, finding no windows and nothing he could use as a weapon to defend himself. In the unrestrained moments of solitude, he took the time to stretch out his limbs and examine the wounds Hux had recently inflicted on his face. Painful, but nothing too bad. He’d certainly experienced worse.

Moments turned to hours, and Poe still found himself alone. Though he desperately wanted to stay alert for whatever Ren had in store for him when he returned, he was overcome with an exhaustion he couldn’t fight. He returned to the corner, settling himself against the wall as he drifted off to sleep. 

Poe had no way of telling how long he was out for, but he woke to a Stormtrooper roughly shaking him awake and pulling him to his feet, refastening the familiar pair of stun cuffs around his wrists behind his back, and marching him forward out of the room.

He thought back to the time Finn had broken him out of the Finalizer in a similar manner, though he doubted he’d be fortunate enough to be rescued twice by a rogue Stormtrooper. Still, he pretended it was Finn that had come to save him, even though this one was far taller and rougher with him than Finn. He had no fight left in him anyway, and there was no point resisting wherever he was being taken. He sighed to himself, disappointed that he no longer cared what they did to him.

The Stormtrooper led Poe down one nondescript hallway after the other, stopping only once to pull Poe up after he stumbled forward.

Eventually, the two reached the small hangar attached to the makeshift First Order base, and Poe was hustled on board a cramped, plain-looking cargo ship that was clearly built for one person. The Stormtrooper closed the ramp and undid Poe’s cuffs, pulling them above his head and refastening them to the grating on the wall.

After securing Poe’s restraints, the tall Stormtrooper gently tilted the pilot’s head back and wiped away the blood that had dripped down his face after his nose started bleeding again. Poe flinched away, confused. The Stormtrooper pulled their hand back, hesitating only for a second before returning to the cockpit. Within minutes the two were airborne, though Poe had no idea where they were headed.

He tried not to think about it. It wouldn’t change anything anyway. Honestly, he was just happy to be in the air again, even if he was being led to somewhere horrible or to be vented into space. The shuddering and groaning of the durasteel around him helped him slip away into memories with Finn, of all the flights they took together before he was snatched up by Hux. He closed his eyes and waited for whatever was about to happen.

Several hours later, the shuttle touched down on land, jostling Poe out of his thoughts. When the Stormtrooper returned and unfastened him from the wall, Poe went with him willingly.

The planet – or moon? – they landed on was shrouded in a heavy blanket of darkness, and the air was cool. Poe caught the rustling wind through the trees all around him as he was led forward through an empty field to a large pole at the very center. Here, the tall Stormtrooper fastened his arms around the pole behind him, locking them securely and activating a green light at the top of it.

Poe had been docile through this entire transfer, but since it seemed like he was going to be left in the field he risked speaking.

“W-where am I?” No response, not even a gesture of acknowledgment from the Stormtrooper. “What’s going on? Why am I here?”

The tall Stormtrooper stopped, turning to face Poe. He reached for his helmet, fingers hovering over the clasps. Suddenly he stopped, turning heel and walking directly back to the ship. Poe watched it fire up and take off, disappearing into the clouds above him.

Poe was left alone, cold and confused and painted in the soft glow of green light from above him.  

He stood as long as his legs could hold him, eventually falling to his knees with his arms wrenched up behind him. Night on this planet seemed to stretch on forever. Part of him thought he might die of thirst while he waited for whatever he was left there for.

 _So strange_ , he thought, _to be so valued and then dumped here unceremoniously to die alone._

It rained on the second day, and Poe tried to catch as much water as he could. The rumbling of his stomach alerted him to the fact that he hadn’t eaten in stars knows how long, but it wasn’t like the sky was going to open up and start showering him with food. If anything, being out in the open the way he was, it was more likely he’d end up being food for something else.

He pushed the thought out of his mind.

Poe held on for two more days before his body finally succumbed to exhaustion and dehydration.

The grind of a U-wing’s s-foils woke him slowly. He blinked in confusion, thinking first that he was dead. When he realized he was laying on his back staring at the ceiling he jolted up, praying to the Force that he wasn’t back in Hux’s room. Gasping and weak, he tried catching his breath, looking around the room frantically for a weapon or some way to defend himself for when Hux returned. His heart beating loudly in his ears almost drowned out the beeping of BB-8, excitedly zooming around the room to the left of him.

[FINN! FINN! FINN!]

Poe looked down at the droid, trying to register that what he was seeing was real, when he heard a crashing clatter from the cockpit. He met Finn’s eyes in the doorway, the two of them choking back tears.

“Poe!” Finn rushed forward, pulling the pilot into a hug. “You’re alive, Poe! Thank the Force, you’re alive!”

Blinking through the shock, Poe leaned in to the embrace, doing his best not to jostle any of the medical equipment Finn had hooked him up to.

“Finn, I thought I’d… that I’d never see you again. H-how’d you find me?” He wiped at his eyes, thankful he was no longer restrained.

Finn grabbed his hands, holding them in his own like he would never let him go again. “I… I got a message. This weird, cryptic message that just said ‘DAMERON’, and a set of coordinates. I thought for sure it was too good to be true, but… there you were. Oh Poe, where have you been?”

Poe laughed weakly, squeezing Finn’s hand with all the energy he had left. “Long story. Tell you over a drink?”

Finn wrapped his arms around the pilot again, nuzzling his face against Poe’s neck. “ _Anything_. I’m just grateful you’re alive.”

BB-8 beeped below them, whirring to the front of the ship and signaling their impending arrival. Finn pressed a kiss to Poe’s forehead and helped him lay back down before running to the cockpit for their descent.

Poe closed his eyes. He had a lot of trauma to work through, but for now… he only felt at peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh, you guys. Sorry this took so long. I got distracted by so many other stories that I neglected the heck out of this. But now it's done! And I hope the hastily written ending didn't leave too many of you disappointed! 
> 
> <3

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr! And I'm a nice person in real life, I swear it. Come say hello or whatever at: spooky-doings.tumblr.com <3


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